


The Love of Soldiers

by Avi



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Ishvalan War flashbacks, Romance, even though they're already married lmao, teenage years
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-21 20:09:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7402117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avi/pseuds/Avi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye's past comes back to haunt them, will they be able to handle it? Or will everything they've worked so hard for burn away with the single snap of a hand?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The sounds of countless soldier's feet marching across the field resonated throughout Central. The noise of gunshots a constant reminder as to where the people were.

Many would find the sounds of soldiers a frightening thing, but some found an almost unnatural comfort in it. 

Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye was one of these people. 

Waking up inside of a hospital, the only sound coming from the drip next to her, made her feel more out of place than a dog amidst wolves.

"Lieutenant? Are you awake?" A familiar voice asked next to her.

Her heart clenched as she turned to look at him, his eyes a sad blank as he searched for any sign of movement within the eternal darkness of his eyes.

"I'm here colonel." She answered quietly, his eyes lighting up slightly at the sound of her voice.

"Could you tell me if its morning?" He whispered gently, closing his eyes so he wouldn't start panicking again at the loss of his sight.

"The sun has come up, the light is pouring in through the window right on your face. It's a gleeful spring day." Hawkeye explained, tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she realized she was his only method of sight. Equivalent exchange her ass.

"Hm. Should have guessed the sun had already been up for a while if you're awake lieutenant." Mustang said with a smirk, turning towards the direction of her voice. 

Hawkeye smiled in answer, before realizing he couldn't see her, and felt another wrack of pain.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, his blank eyes a constant reminder of her failure.

"Why?" The colonel asked, his eyebrows furrowing at her soft words. He wished he could just see her, he could always read her so well.

"I didn't protect you. I'm supposed to protect you no matter what, and I couldn't do it. You lost your sight, because I couldn't help you. I'm a failure." Riza whispered, tears bubbling up, threatening to spill over her face.

"You can't blame yourself, Hawkeye. You were under strict order not to die, remember? If you had jumped in after me you would be going against my direct orders. It's not your fault, and it never will be." His face became stern like a rock, his heart beating in rage at the thought of Riza putting herself through a personal hell for his sake alone.

Hawkeye drew a quick breath in, surprise blatant across her features. 

"Sir." She stated, throwing him a quick salute, brushing the tears from her eyes roughly, hoping the colonel hadn't noticed.

No matter what happened to him, Roy Mustang always seemed to take it in stride, not letting it knock him off course. He was a pillar of strength, and he would keep his men standing.

She smiled at him, her heart warming with his words. Only the colonel could bring her back from the edge so quickly.

"So, mind telling me how attractive our nurse is?" Roy asked with a shit-eating grin.

"I don't know, why don't you ask her yourself?" Hawkeye answered, her face splitting with a smile.

"Wh-Wha? She heard me?! I'm so sorry miss, I didn't mean anything by it please don't poison me with your medicines." He whimpered, his face becoming a beet red with shame. 

"She's not here, dummy." Riza smirked, her mind full with thoughts of how cute a blushing Mustang was.

"Oh." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Making fun of a blind man now lieutenant?"

"No, just making fun of an idiot." She laughed.

Her laugh was perhaps the only thing keeping his mind sane in this dark world of his.

~x~

"Look! Look! I can run! I can jump! My legs, they're working! I'd do a backflip if I knew how! Look out ladies, Havoc's back in business!" He shouted with joy, thrusting the air.

"Don't work yourself too hard, you've only just gotten out of your wheelchair. Are you sure your legs are doing okay?" Hawkeye asked, unamused by his crude gestures.

"Aw, look Mustang. Seems like the lieutenant isn't just worrying about you anymore. Jealous?" Havoc asked with a wag of his hips.

"Jealous that you can still witness the beauty of a woman? Yeah I'd say so Havoc." Mustang said curtly, his mouth twisting in false annoyance.

Havoc could walk again, Mustang had finally repaid his debt to him. His soldier could finally catch up with his brothers in arms. Havoc was freed from his own broken body.

"Oh whatever Mustang, that magical voodoo doctor man should be back within the day. Then you can stare at as many beautiful woman you want." Havoc said with a hint of jealousy, lighting himself a cigarette. 

"I'm sorry sir, but smoking is not allowed here. We ask you take it outside." A passing nurse commented to Havoc, rushing off towards her next patient.

"Oh right. Forgot how strict they were here." He mumbled, squishing his cigarette into Hawkeye's bedpost.

"Hey!" She said indignantly.

"So Havoc, will you tell me whether or not the nurse is attractive?" Mustang asked, his face turning in the general direction of the lieutenant.

"Yeah, you boys have fun with that. I'm going to get myself some breakfast. Want anything colonel?" Hawkeye asked, slipping her legs out from her bed.

"Are you sure your healthy enough to start walking?" Roy asked with a slight worry in his voice. If she was in any pain he knew she wouldn't tell anyone.

"Yes, I'm fine sir." Hawkeye stated as she pushed herself off the bed. Her muscles screamed in protest, but she could no longer sit down. Her body had become restless.

"Don't push yourself. You should rest, just call a nurse." Mustang said as he strained to hear any amount of pain from her.

"I'm fine, sir. When did you become so worried about me anyway?" She asked with a smile plastered on her face, her teasing tone causing Havoc to chuckle.

Mustang felt a small blush on his features appear, and turned away. "Whatever."

The lieutenant made her way across the room, ripping her drip out with her right arm. Her left arm was still in a sling, the cut across her shoulder a nasty one, if it hadn't been for May Chang she would have been dead a long time ago, and who knows what Mustang would have done then.

She had to remember to thank the small child the next time she saw her.

"Well, I'll be sure to bring you back some spinach quiche, colonel." Hawkeye said as she shuffled out the door.

His eyes were downcast as he remembered when he had first met his friend Hughes over a dish of quiche, his comrade's eventual death, and the pure hatred that had almost consumed him just days ago. Of course the lieutenant didn't know what the dish meant to him, only that he liked it. But he hadn't eaten any since Hughes had died, and didn't know if he really wanted any.

"You know, you gotta let her go Mustang. I know what it's like to not be able to walk. I think walking is probably the best thing anyone could ever do to shake something off. I'd say a near death experience would probably be something she'd want to shake off. She probably just wants to escape the whole hospital ambiance." Havoc said, mistaking his pain over Hughes as worry for Hawkeye.

"Oh, yeah your probably right." Roy said with a lopsided smile. 

"Although she looked like she might collapse when she left here. All white in the face. Surprised you let her go." Havoc said with a mischievous grin.

"What?!"

~x~

Riza stretched her arms out in relief, that room had been about to suffocate her. Well, that room and the men in it.

"One spinach quiche, two pancakes, and two sides of bacon please." She asked the lunch lady, her stomach rumbling in thought of food. She hadn't eaten at all yesterday, too busy with keeping Roy and his men out of trouble with the nurses while they were reading about the Ishvalans. She hadn't seen everyone so riled up about something in a while.

"Coming right up, miss..?" The lady asked.

"Hawkeye." She answered shortly. Her eyes shone proudly as she stated her name. With the addition of her and her father, the name Hawkeye was one to behold.

The cook nodded, before hobbling out to get her food.

As Riza sat in wait, she thought about what doctor Marcho had said yesterday, that he could actually bring Roy's sight back. She knew it was possible, as shown by Havoc's impressive display of his legs today. She didn't think she'd ever seen the colonel happier than when he heard the sound of Havoc's boots against the ground. But we're they really doing the right thing?

Sacrificing human souls. She knew it wasn't her choice to make, it was Mustang's, but was he really okay with the Philosopher Stone's methods? Didn't he feel at all guilty?

"Here you go ma'am." The lunch lady interrupted her deep thinking with the smell of food.

"Thank you." Riza mumbled as she lifted the tray off of the counter. She really needed to stay alert.

The lady nodded again, before shuffling to the back of the cafeteria again.

Hoping to sneak some of Mustang's quiche, Hawkeye placed the tray down, and picked a little piece of spinach off. It's not like Mustang would notice anyway.

That's when she saw it. There was a slip of paper under her pancakes, the corner barely poking out.

Her heart picked up its speed. No one she knew would have reason to send her a message this way, with Pride no longer watching from the shadows she was free to talk to any of her friends without some kind of scheme like this. Whoever sent this to her, was not a friend.

She slipped the paper from under the plate, her heart beating even faster. Her nerves felt like they were all going to explode.

Inside the note read, 

"At last, all mine."

\- E.V.

Her breath caught in her throat, her heart stopping in her chest. She had been sitting up, staring at the piece of paper one second, and the next she was on the ground, her body convulsing with the shock of a panic attack.

E.V. 

Those initials couldn't be... He was... Roy said...

She blacked out.

~x~

Voices were shouting, arguing with each other, maybe there was even a fight breaking out.

Where was she? Why was she here?

She lifted her head from her pillow, but everything just seemed foggy. Her vision blurred, the sound around her forming together as one loud noise.

She was back in her bed she knew. Back because she had passed out in the middle of the lunchroom. Because she had gotten a note from... No. It couldn't be him.

Her hearing began to work properly again, causing her to look around the room for the source of the noise. It seemed Mustang was fighting with the nurses, declaring that they should be watching their patients more closely.

One nurse answered that it wasn't their fault Riza left. He should have stopped her himself if he was so worried.

Hawkeye thought Roy was going to burn them to a crisp right then and there. She could tell he wanted to.

"I don't care if you have to tie her down with restraints! I will not have my lieutenant walking around in constant risk of fatality! She needs her rest!" Mustang shouted angrily, his eyes alit with flame even now.

"What's this about tying me down?" Riza asked, propping herself up on her bed. Maybe she could buy enough time for the nurses escape. 

"I told you not to push yourself! And here I am sitting in this bed blind, with no idea what's going on because you weren't responding. All for some quiche! You could have been dead for all I knew!" Mustang's anger immediately turned toward his lieutenant, the nurses scurrying away from the battle that was about to erupt.

"Well I wasn't dead! I just passed out for a short time, Mustang!" Her eyes shone with an anger of their own.

"I gave you an order to let yourself rest, and you come back with a crowd of nurses around you trying to get your breath back! They almost lost your heartbeat, Hawkeye! Explain to me how that's a blackout." Roy snarled, his anger flaring up with a ferocity.

"It wasn't because I was tired you idiot! It was because I found a note from-" Riza tried to explain, but her throat choked up before she could finish. Once he found out it would all be too real. It wasn't like it was from him anyways. Why should she worry?

"From who?" Mustang asked gently, his face immediately flooding with worry instead of anger. What kind of person could cause the lieutenant to pass out just by mentioning their name?

"Do you remember-"

"If you two are done with your little row I have someone here who wants to talk to you." Havoc barged in, an obvious spring in his step.

"Hello colonel Mustang. Are you ready to see the future you're building once more?" Doctor Marcho asked with a smile.

"Hello doctor, long time no see." Roy said jokingly.

"Don't worry colonel, I'll have you fixed in no time. The power of a Philosopher Stone is far greater than anything in this world. You'll be brand new in no time." The doctor said, glad to be of some help.

"Are you feeling better Hawkeye?" Mustang asked so quietly she almost didn't hear her, his head tilting towards her.

"Fine, sir. Why do you ask?" She said, formalities flooding back into her speech upon the sight of others.

"Could you stand next to me? I want to see you right when I open my eyes." Roy said his eyes closing once again as he leaned into his pillow. He had obviously been thinking about this.

"Y-Yes sir." Hawkeye uttered, her face heating up as she moved past Havoc and Marcho, straight towards the kernel. 

A bright red light started to emit from the stone in the doctor's hand, before the redness shone from the colonel's eyes as well.

Gritting his teeth, he grabbed onto Hawkeye's hand, grounding himself from the pain with her warmth. She refused to look away even when the light was at an almost blinding level.

Finally all the light and noise stopped, and there lay Mustang, his eyes open and staring at Riza like she was water and he was ready to drown. 

A king finally reunited with his queen.

Everyone else seemed to fade away as Roy began to laugh, his eyes filled with such joy at being able to see his lieutenant once more.

"You're more beautiful than I remember Hawkeye." Roy asked, his hand finding her face.

"You're more charming than I remember Mustang." She answered with a grin of her own, her hand tightening around his.

"Well, I'm glad to have been of service. I'll be returning to my hometown now if you ever need me again." Marcho said, backing out of the door.

Hawkeye turned away from Mustang, and bowed low to the ground, her neck and shoulder aching from the force of it.

"Thank you, sir. I am forever indebted to you." She said, her emotions strong in her voice.

"And so am I. Please, call us if you ever need anything." Mustang said with a bow of his own.

"I-It was nothing. You really have the souls to thank, not me." Marcho said with a blush, before officially leaving.

"I guess I'll be off too. Watch yourselves little lovebirds." Havoc said with a grin as he lit another cigarette.

They both grew a bright red, trying to deny what he had said but not managing to say anything but a few squeaks of noise.

"Ciao." He laughed, practically skipping out the door on his new legs.

The colonel couldn't seem to stop smiling.

"I can see Hawkeye! I can see my hands, and this sheet, and that door, and your face! I can see it all. I don't ever want to close my eyes again!" Mustang shouted with a glee she had never seen in him before. She temporarily forgot her guilt over the lost souls.

He jumped out of his bed, picking her up by the waist and spinning her around, both of them overjoyed as his sight returned to him.

"I'm so glad I can see you again." Mustang said as he stared at her, too happy to even be worried about formalities.

"I am too, colonel." Hawkeye chuckled, his joy rubbing off on her.

He slowly placed her back down like she was a piece of porcelain, grinning from ear to ear.

"Now, what do you say we go check out some of the nurses?" He teased, grabbing her by the hand with a boyish flare she hadn't seen in a long time. Not since her father had died.

Seeing Roy as happy as that, it filled the lieutenant's heart with such joy she couldn't bear to tell him what had happened at breakfast. The note could wait.

What was the worst that could happen?

~x~

"Well, well, well. Is that little Volder I see? Still locked up even after all these years." A voice echoed from the shadows, his voice rising with uncontrollable laughter.

"Well, that's what happens when Roy Mustang has seen to it that you never see the light of day." Volder said, his hands twisting inside of their wooden restraints.

"Well, why don't we just fix that?" The voice said, still laughing.

Soon Volder heard a click on the other side of his door, the light streaming in, blinding him.

His hair and nails had grown long during his time inside his jail cell. His body skinny and weak, the military had truly let him rot.

"Why are you doing this?" Volder asked as the man unlocked his cuffs.

"If you want to stay out of here my friend, all you have to do is one thing." He started, ignoring Volder's question.

"And what's that?" He whispered.

"Make sure Roy Mustang never becomes furor."


	2. Chapter 2

She yawned into her hand, her eyes drooping as she thought back to the night before. She should have just stopped reading at chapter four last night, but it had gotten so good! 

"God, I'm so tired." She murmured to herself, barely able to stand straight at her post.

A clash of noise interrupted her pity party, almost making her shout in fear.

"H-Hello? Is anyone there?" She called out, her hands trembling. Her boss had told her no one was supposed to be here! This place was supposed to be sealed off! 

I-It was probably just a stray cat or something. Yeah, a little kitty cat.

Shuffling into the alley, she grabbed her gun off her shoulder, her eyes wide as saucers.

"If you're in there, I'd ask you to come out now! O-Or I may just shoot you! Accidentally, of course!" The soldier shook in her boots, her hands tightening on her rifle for sheer life.

She felt a presence behind her, it's hot breath hitting her neck.

"Who are you?! St-Stay back-AAHHHHHH!" Bullets rang through the night, the woman's screams falling on deaf ears.

She really had wanted to finish that book.

~x~

He blinked his eyes slowly, taking in all that was in front of him.

Roy was back in his old office, his desk waiting for him like it always had, nothing changed a bit. 

"I've missed you, old friend." He murmured, before falling down into his chair, the dust rising in a thick waft. 

He never thought he would find something like this old place so beautiful, but after thinking he would never see it again he never wanted to leave.

"Enjoying yourself colonel?" Hawkeye asked from the door, her arm held high to her head in salute.

"Greatly. Never thought I'd miss this place." Mustang said with a chuckle, his eyes drinking in how lovely Hawkeye looked here. Like the final piece to a puzzle.

"It is good to be back, sir." She stated, her hand sliding down to rest at her waist. 

A comfortable silence soon fell between the two, the colonel finally catching up on his seemingly endless amount of work while the lieutenant watched patiently behind him.

Everything seemed right in the world again. Almost like Roy hadn't lost his sight, like Riza hadn't almost died on his account, like they had never even been touched by Father and his Homunculi.

They were really home.

But of course, when your home is a military base peace is a nonexistent thing, and today was no exception.

"The colonel and the lieutenant, back together again! Side by side in the most glorious of fashions! How I have missed you!" Alex Louis Armstrong declared, banging the door open, his shirt practically falling off by itself.

"Oh, good to see you too major." Mustang said, his eyes shifting around, wanting to look at anything but Alex's bulging muscles.

"I have come with horrible news, my friends. A soldier by the name of Hannah Clarke has been brutally murdered, for reasons not yet known. Grumman wants you on the case, Mustang." He said, the sparkles around his eyes dampening with the sad news.

"A soldier's been murdered?" Roy asked, his eyes shifting towards Riza, gauging her reaction. Her eyes widened as she let out a soft gasp, her hands instinctively moving towards one of her pockets. Mustang felt his eyebrows furrow at her, confusion clear in his eyes.

"Yes, sir. It is a true tragedy." The muscled man stated, dramatically wiping his tears away.

"Thank you for alerting me. Tell Grumman were on our way. Dismissed, major." Mustang said, giving a quick salute as Armstrong left.

"What's the plan, sir?" Hawkeye asked, her eyes hard and steady. She couldn't let the colonel know. Not until she figured this out herself. She couldn't have Roy protecting her. 

Get ahold of yourself, Riza!

"Straight to the crime scene, of course." Roy said, his chair rolling back as he stood up. His coat flapped at his heels as he swept past Riza, her eyes softening as she looked at him.

Most would have seen his reaction as cold and uncaring, but Hawkeye had known Roy long enough to know he was trying to be kind, in his own Mustang way. 

He was keeping her head on the case, keeping her sharp and able, and that was all she required. They had always understood what the other needed most. They would keep each other standing.

"Right away sir." She said, easily falling into step behind him.

~x~

The rain pitter-pattering on the car window was the only source of sound in the vehicle, both soldiers deep in restless thought. After being away from it all for so long, they had almost forgotten what it was like. 

"We've arrived." Riza said, her foot easing off the brake as the engine shut off. Her eyes stared out the window, her hands tightening around the car wheel until her knuckles were white. 

"You ready lieutenant?" Mustang asked as he opened his car door, his eyes full of worry no matter how he tried to conceal it.

"Are you ready, sir?" She answered, an almost mischievous gleam in her eye. 

"Why wouldn't I be?" Roy murmured, his chest practically inflating by command. He was the Flame Alchemist, what could possibly stand in his way?

"The rain, sir. Are you sure you should be getting your gloves wet like that?" Riza chuckled, unable to control her smirk at his angry ramblings.

~x~

"There you are colonel! We've already started the investigation without you, why were you so late?" Grumman's crotchety voice rose through the rain, his glasses deeply fogged.

"Sorry, we didn't get the information from Armstrong until far into the afternoon." Mustang smiled, his eyes cold as he stared at his old mentor. 

Hawkeye's eyes shifted back and forth between the ground and her grandfather's eyes. He had never liked her, not once in his life. She would always be the spawn of her father in his eyes, the one man he hated most. Grumman had always blamed her father for 'defiling' his beloved daughter, Riza's mother, who had loved her family no matter what her father thought. And now, Grumman stubbornly refused to accept Hawkeye as his own blood. 

She stood silently, holding her umbrella up high to protect the colonel's head as she waited for Mustang and Grumman to finish their banter. The two could go on for hours if there was no one else present. The fact he had a better relationship with her own grandfather stung a little, but she knew better than to allow her emotions influence her work.

Her mind blanked as the rain began to pour harder, her eyes continuously darting to the alleyway filled with soldiers. That must've been where the dead soldier was.

"Well, come this way you two. The body's right over here." Grumman said gruffly, his voice almost bored. 

Hawkeye followed closely behind Mustang, her heart twisting in the worst of ways. What if this had something to do with her note? She had tried to ignore it, to act like it had never even happened. But there was no running from it, eventually it would chase her down, if it hadn't already.

"Maybe you should stay behind lieutenant. You don't look so good." Mustang stated as he watched her, his hand gently falling over hers as he tried to take the umbrella from her. He didn't know why she was so bothered and he didn't need to, as long as she was okay.

"I can handle it, sir." She snipped, her hand clasping the umbrella handle with all her strength. She couldn't let him see her fear. Even if he could see right through her facade.

"Of course you can." He finished, his hand falling back to his side. He didn't care what his lieutenant said, she was obviously disturbed, but he wouldn't push her. If she needed to tell him she would, until then he just had to trust her.

"Subject is blonde, caucasian, female. Seems to be mid-twenties. Long gashes run down her back in a brutal manner, which would fashion the crime to be one of anger. No evidence to support pre-oriented assault." One soldier read into a voice recording, as other soldiers swarmed around the body like flies. 

The whole alley smelled like human decay, the pavement stained with blood and bodily juices. Hawkeye would have gagged if she wasn't so used to it already. Some of the younger soldiers seemed to be spilling out their lunches on the road, the sight too gruesome for them to bear. 

"This murder would seem to be one of absolute normalcy, except for one odd thing we discovered." The old man yawned, his fingers lazily gesturing around the body.

Mustang and Hawkeye exchanged a glance, before following Grumman's line of sight. 

"There's no footprints." Roy declared, his eyes sweeping the area wildly as his mind began to wire on.

"Exactly. Although we can't rule out that it's the rain's fault for washing away all the footprints. But the thing is we can still see the victim's footprints leading to this spot, which would seem to suggest the culprit's markings are still somewhere around here." Grumman said, pointing at some mud just below the victims feet.

Hawkeye began searching the floors, her eyes slicing through the thick wafts of rain like a knife. It was impossible for there not to be footprints around here, unless the victim was shot down from somewhere far away. Her wounds suggested otherwise, which meant evidence of the killer was here, and she would find it.

"You see something lieutenant?" Roy asked, years of working with Riza giving him enough experience to know when she was on to something.

"It's been a little covered up by the mud sir, but there seems to be some kind of indentation here." She explained herself, before gently removing some of the excess mud. 

There it was.

"But that's not... Possible." Grumman gasped, his glasses falling down his nose.

There were cat paws. And not just any tabby cat, these were a wild cat's footprints. 

"There are only two indentations. Shouldn't there be at least four if there was really such a big cat in this small alleyway?" Riza asked, her heart beginning to pump faster as they got closer to the truth.

"Good eyes, lieutenant. But if it's true some sort of...cat really performed this murder, shouldn't there be claw marks in Hannah's body and not knife wounds?" Mustang wondered aloud, his theories intertwining with her own. 

"There's only one possible explanation if you look at all these things." Mustang murmured, his eyes ablaze.

"Chimera." They said in unison, proudly smiling at the other.

"Y-You mean like when a human's mixed with some kind of animal?" The Lieutenant General said, his mind disturbed with the thought.

"In this case it would be some kind of cat, human morphing. But the real question we need to be asking is why Hannah Clarke was murdered with a knife and not claws." Mustang said as he paced the alleyway, his fingers itching to be used.

"But I thought we never succeeded in our research. And I've never heard of human chimeras! Isn't it against the law?" Mustang's mentor asked, his mustache quivering with fear.

"It seems you've missed out on a lot." Roy murmured under his breath.

"The knife must hold some kind of sentiment to the culprit, perhaps he does it out of respect?" The lieutenant asked, her small legs moving as fast as possible to keep the pacing colonel dry.

"That would seem to be the most logical explanation." He said, stopping in his tracks as he prepared to give orders.

"Soldiers, we have enough evidence to support our chimera theory. What we need from you now is to spread the word out to everyone else on guard duty. We need every one of our eyes peeled for this chimera. Clear the area, and start the search. Dismissed!" Mustang declared, his voice loud and demanding. No soldier would dare tell him they didn't have to follow his orders.

"Well Mustang, it's been very... Enlightening to have you on this case with us. I'll call you if there are any updates on your kitty cat, but until then my men and I will be looking for a human murderer. We don't have time for your silly games." Grumman said with a frown towards Hawkeye, before clearing out with his soldiers as they carried the body away.

"Sir, I think we should be heading back." Riza said once everyone was gone. She really didn't want to deal with a cold-ridden Mustang.

"Not yet lieutenant. If everyone is looking for a man they'll never find the true culprit. It's up to me and my men to find this chimera, and I'm not going to turn in until I have some strong leads." He said with confidence, his eyes sharp and alive. He had really missed solving these cases.

She nodded, giving up her hopes of a warm shower. If Roy needed her she would help him. As long as he didn't do anything too crazy.

"Did you see any other evidence of a chimera besides these footprints? Maybe where he ran off to?" Mustang asked as he continued to search the mud.

"Well I noticed these, but it's not going to be of much help." She said, pointing at the wall opposite of him.

Claw marks, small and unnoticeable to the untrained eye, gauged the wall, leading straight onto the roof. This was the lead he was looking for.

"It's a good thing you're here Hawkeye, I would never have been able to see something like this in the rain." He praised, his gloved hands digging into the wall.

"You can't do much of anything in the rain, sir." Hawkeye commented, dead faced. She might stay out here for the colonel but it didn't mean she would enjoy it.

He sputtered on his words, his arms flailing as he tried to think of some kind of excuse. No one could shut him up faster than her.

"Alright, well one of us is going to have to go on the roof. Unless you want me stepping on your face lieutenant I suggest you stay where you are. I can make a pillar up there easily." Mustang said in all seriousness, holding his hands out to clap.

"I am not going up there." She answered, crossing her arms.

"If you can follow his tracks we may just find him!" He declared, his hands still suspended midair.

"And then what, sir? It's not like you can be of any hep in this rain. I'll be on my own in a fight against a chimera. We should just leave this to Investigations." She explained, stepping farther away from him. No way was going roof jumping for some crazy chimera. Not even for Roy.

"We're not going to fight him, Hawkeye. We're going to find his hideout and then come back for him later." He responded, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"That doesn't seem like the best plan, sir." Riza chided, not convinced at all. If he wanted to make a fool of himself he could. She'd enjoy the show from underneath her umbrella.

"This is a direct order-" He started.

"Just be quiet, I'll do it." Riza interrupted, thrusting the umbrella into his hands. If it got her out of the rain she'd do it. "But if I catch a cold it's your fault, sir." 

"I'll make you soup everyday until your healthy again." He promised, laughing to himself at the lieutenant's distrust.

"I'll hold you to that." Hawkeye retorted, standing perfectly still as she waited.

"Ready?" Mustang asked, before clapping his hands together and thrusting them into the mud, making a stone pillar as she shot up into the sky, the ground beneath her coming alive. If it were anyone else she would have probably freaked out, but in front of the colonel she'd have to put on a brave face. Even if alchemy wasn't something she enjoyed.

She stepped onto the roof quickly, grateful to get off the pile of dirt Roy was currently controlling. She could never trust that stuff.

The rain and wind were stronger up there. She could barely see her own hand. A loud thunderbolt hit the roof next to her, making her jump in fear.

"I can't see anything in this weather, Mustang!" She called down, her voice swallowed by the wind. She couldn't even tell if he was down there anymore, all she could see was a wall of grey. 

Well, if there was no way she could get down she might as well try to help as best she could. 

Her body began to shake violently, but she ignored it, her hands searching the roof for claw marks. There were a couple, seeming to lead to the roof in front of her. She could barely make out the buildings though, much less the scratches. This was a mistake. They'd have to come back later if they were really going to find something.

Another thunderbolt struck the ground, the light flashing brightly on the roof, giving the lieutenant a second of sight.

There was a second shadow. One that was not hers, one directly behind her. The light faded into black once more, the rain blinding her to all directions.

"Show yourself, I know you're there!" Hawkeye demanded, quickly pulling her gun out from her belt.

The rain continued to pour, and the sun was drowning under the clouds. There was nothing she could do without sight. 

She closed her eyes, opening her ears to the sounds of the storm. If she couldn't see him, maybe she could hear him.

Her fingers began to numb as the wind seemed to slice through her body, the water whipping her face painfully. She was almost useless so high up.

There. She heard it. Something was breathing to her right, it was faint but she could just make out where he was.

Spinning around she barely managed to pull the trigger before something sharp cut into her arm.

~x~

Two gunshots went off in the dark, before ending with an ear splitting scream.

He knew it was Riza. He could pick her voice out in a crowd of screaming people, this was no different.

"Hawkeye! Can you hear me?" Mustang called, his heart hammering in his chest. Who could be on the roof with her?

Clapping his hands he shot himself up there with the ground under his feet, his eyes shadowed in fear. 

Holding Riza limply in between its teeth stood the chimera, it's green eyes staring at Roy. Blood was dripping between the creatures teeth as it's tongue slipped out to dab at it, it's black coat stained with red.

"Hello colonel Mustang, so nice to finally meet you." The creature said, it's voice heavy and sharp.

"You're from Drachma?" Roy asked, trying to keep his cool in the face of the lieutenant's situation. 

"Damn this accent. Always gets me in trouble." The chimera sighed, his claws digging into Riza's side, her screams beginning again. 

"No no no, little kitty. I see you going for your gun and it's not going to work." He chuckled, his eyes full of blood lust as he kicked her gun farther away from her. 

"What do you want Drachman? Release my lieutenant and I'll give it to you!" Mustang demanded as the cat began licking its claws clean of Hawkeye's blood.

"But the problem there is I want your lieutenant, so I can't exactly do that. I have to check something, you see. It's kinda the whole reason I'm here." He smirked, before his claws found there way underneath her shirt, lifting it up.

Roy took no time before slamming his hands into the ground, part of the roof becoming a fist, pummeling the creature to the ground.

The Drachman refused to let go of Riza, his teeth clamping even harder on her arm until they cut clean through. 

"AAAGHH! Mustang!" His lieutenant cried out as she was dragged across the roof, right towards the edge.

"Stop! What are you doing?" He screamed, racing after them. But it was already too late.

He threw her, her boots screeching against the pavement as she tried to catch herself, but it was too late. She had fallen.

"Well, have fun with that colonel. Take this as a little warning, stay out of my business." The black jaguar winked, before leaping into the rain, his tail the last thing Roy saw.

His body seemed rooted to the spot as he looked over the edge, Riza's body twisted and malformed as she lay in the dirt. He gasped, his heart in his throat. This was his fault.

The colonel jumped off the roof after her, the ground coming to meet him as he clapped his hands, running to her as fast as he could.

"Lieutenant?" Mustang's voice cracked, his hand checking for her pulse. It was faint, but it was there. For one split second he thought he had lost her.

"He got away." Was all she could manage to say, her skin beginning to pale and her eyes becoming like glass, empty and dark. Her blood ran red as the rain carried it down the street, mingling amongst the blood of the dead soldier, still not entirely washed away.

"I'm going to get us out of here." Roy said, his arms coming underneath her head and knees as he carried away. He never should have made her go up there, it was his fault she was in such a bad situation. 

Once they were back in the car, Roy placed her next to him, her head leaning against his shoulder for support. There was no way she could hold her own in such a bad state.

"Can you make it, lieutenant?" He asked, her eyes barely open and her breathing slow. Her wounds were so deep, there was nothing he could do for her. He looked down at himself, his clothes were soaked with her blood, his skin stained red.

"Y-Yes sir." She whispered, her eyes starting to fill with fear. She was going to die here.

"We're going back to the Command Center, I can get you help there." He explained, climbing into the car as he prepared to drive. There was no time to waste, her body was losing enough blood as it was.

"I can't... So tired..." Riza's eyes slipped close, her head slumping forward. Fighting the darkness was just too painful.

"Wake up! You can't fall asleep. Not yet." Mustang insisted, his hand grabbing her own. She couldn't leave him, not like this! Not after everything they had survived together!

The car swerved in the rain, the tires screeching against the pavement as he sped through the city. 

"You're going to be alright lieutenant, you're going to make it through this." Mustang reassured, whether it was for her or for his own sanity he didn't know. Her fingers slackened against his, her hand slipping from his grasp. He refused to let go.

"I'm sorry sir, I failed you." She gasped out, before falling forward, tears falling down her face mingling with the blood and dirt from the fall.

If she died, it would be for the colonel. It was a death she could accept.

"No, Hawkeye! You can't leave me yet!" He called out to the rain.

Her hand began to grow cold in his own.

~x~

He stared at her, laying in a hospital once again because of him. She looked so small, tubes pressed into her skin and monitors beeping loudly all around her.

The sight was enough to make him sick.

She had broken a leg and lost three pints of blood, but with enough rest and medication she would survive.

He had stayed by her bedside the entire time, and he wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon. He had a promise to keep after all, he had to make her enough soup until she got better.

He watched her closer than any monitor could, her every breath counted by him. Once she woke up he would be right here, waiting.

He took his jacket off, laying it down on his chair, his white undershirt still stained red in some places. He ignored the pain in his heart, his mind too numb for thought.

His lips brushed against her forehead, her skin warm against his. He promised her father he would look after her, and he would, as long as he lived.

He backed away from her, his eyes half lidded as he watched her sleeping form. He would wait.

~x~

"Riza come on! You know we'll be late if we don't go right now!" His voice called from down the hallway. 

She smiled to herself, hurrying after him as she tied her hair up in its usual design. "Be right there!"

"Aw, you know I like it better when you're hair's down." He murmured glumly, his fingers wiggling at her hair clips.

"Leave it Roy! I thought you were the one who just said we'd be late." She chuckled, planting a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go." He blushed, his fingers rubbing where she had just kissed him.

They took each others hand, both walking down the driveway together. They had to go pick up their son, he was getting off school early today and they were surprising him with a trip to uncle Ed and Al's house.

How did she know all this stuff? Where was she?

"What's wrong honey? Why do you look upset?" Mustang asked, his eyes concerned and his hands warm.

"N-Nothing, sir." She said, her eyes shifting to the trees next to them.

"No need to be so formal, I'm your husband." He said, her heart lifting as she heard those words from his mouth. But somehow they weren't true.

She watched as the world around her began melting, the trees and the little house on the hill dripping into nothing. A crack in the ground split between her and Mustang, before pulling them apart.

"Riza! Come back!" He called, his hand reaching out for her.

"Roy!" She called in return, her hand reaching for his own. As their fingertips touched he seemed melt away, first his hand then up his arm and finally to his face.

"What's wrong Riza? Why the long face?" He asked, his voice becoming lower as his body became nothing more than a puddle.

"Roy! No!" She cried, the crack between them splitting even farther away. "I need you!"

She didn't even notice it as the chimera pounced on her from the darkness, it's teeth ripping open her neck.

"Roy..." She whispered, her own blood blinding her eyes with red.

~x~

"Roy!" She screamed, shooting up in her bed, drenched with sweat and fear.

Mustang was already by her bedside, his eyes red rimmed and stubble apparent on his face. He must've been trying to wake her up.

"Oh lieutenant, you're finally awake. I've been waiting for you all night, you're one heavy sleeper." He teased, his hands tightening around her back.

"H-He's going to kill you colonel! I have to protect you! The chimera, he killed you!" She shouted, her arms pushing against his. He was being stupid, the creature could be back for him at any time.

"It's alright Hawkeye, it was just a nightmare. No ones in any danger." He reassured, laying her back down on the pillow. 

"But Mustang-" She tried.

"Don't talk, just get some rest, and that's an order. I'll be right outside if you need anything else." Roy murmured, before shutting the door behind him as he left. 

She was barely even comprehensible in this state, but at least she was awake. 

He would stand guard outside her door every day and night for as long as it took. Until she was walking beside him once again he wouldn't be able to live with himself.

Inside the room, Hawkeye grew restless, her mind ready to fight but her body too broken to do so. She was useless like this.

She would hunt down the man who ridiculed her into the tiny little thing she was now. And she would put a bullet through his brain.

~x~

In the shadows of the streets he waited, whispers of the woman who followed the Flame Alchemist's every word occasionally floating along the stream of rumors.

Now he had one of Mustang's men under his captive. Something just too deliciously good not to brag over.

"So tell me little man, where can I find Riza Hawkeye? Surely you know, working so close to ol' Roy boy." He asked, his hand brushing against the soldiers face.

"Screw you." He spat in his face.

"Not very nice now is it?" He asked, before slamming his hands into his alchemical circle. 

Lighting flashed across the sky, striking him right in the back like a hot knife. He screamed, before giggling gleefully the lighting flashing all around him. He soaked the electricity up like a sponge, his eyes shining a bright yellow. The soldiers face was one of shock, his eyes fearful.

"Now are you going to tell me or is this going to get dirty? Because I'd love to make it so." He laughed, his fingers twirling around themselves.

"I'll never tell." The soldier proudly said, his chin held high.

"Then this one's for you Riza!" He madly shouted, before redirecting the lighting right into the unknown soldier.

"Tell him Ellis Volder sent you when you reach the other side!" He shouted over the screams, tears of laughter streaming out of his eyes.

Maybe this soldier wouldn't talk, but one eventually would. And when they did, Riza had best watch her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read somewhere that Grumman was Hawkeye's grandfather, so I decided to put it in my story because it kind of fit. Also had to figure out a reason why him and Riza never talk haha.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned for the next chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> I was disappointed with the ending of FMA:B, so I've decided to write this. It picks up right after the series ends, and I'm planning on continuing it for a while. I haven't read the manga, so from here on out it will all be my original story ideas, so hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Credit goes to a_borderlands_tale for proof reading my work. I couldn't figure out how to tag her but you should definitely go check her out! Her works are amazing! Especially for you borderlands fans. ;)


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